Discussion: Laser Hair Removal Over a Tattoo?
Sunday March 12, 2006
queeniebat writes: "I hate shaving...so I was thinking about laser hair removal. Does anyone know how that might affect a tattoo? I figure the lasers that break up the tattoo ink have to be pretty intense, and I think the hair removal tattoos aren't that strong...Any experiences anyone wants to share?"
Comments
When I got laser hair removal, the tech went over my tattoo by accident. The laser made a very loud noise, and it was very painfull. I had blisters coving the entire tattoo where the laser touched and my tattoo has faded by at least 75%.
I had a similar problem, the skin was burned, the part of the tattoo is gone and the hair is till there and that was done by a doctor. Untill now I´m still looking for answers, but nobody seems to know anything about it, even the so called specialist can’t give any concrete information…
I just had a hair removal treatment the other day, and the technician accidentally went over part of my tattoo. It was painful and there is a blister over it. I am hoping that the tattoo isn’t messed up, but time will tell. The laser light is attracted to dark things (like your hair) – so I’m figuring that the pigment in the tattoo attracts it even more. I would advise against having it done over a tattoo. Hope that helps!
I had laser hair removal one week ago today. My tatoo is totally screwed up in two places where the tech zapped. She didn’t mention anything about problems with tatoos. The blisters popped and are infected. The line of ink just lifts out of my skin. I will be scarred.
I just had it done yesterday, and the lady burned my tatoo! There is a huge hole in my leg where my tatoo is (was?)
It hurts- it’s blistered- and I’m wondering if anyone else had any resolution with this situation.
The technician was totally careless. She is the one who told me, during my first treatment that she couldn’t use the laser near my tatoo or this would happen, and then yesterday, she blatenlty lasered right over my tatoo!!!!!!
Guess Im going to continue to shave!
This is great to know! I just had my first session on my neck and was thinking about getting a tattoo. Now I know to wait until I’m done!!
The laser they use is similar to the laser that is used to remove tattoos. I asked my Dr. about my tattoo prior to having the laser done. He did inform me that the tattoo would lighten. After my first treatment some skin peeled and the part that touched the tattoo came off with ink attached. I had my second treatment today, and I am running an experiment. I hope that if I moisturize like I did when the tattoo was just done it will slow the fading/disappearing of the ink. If that doesn’t work I just hope the scaring is so bad the the design cannot be fixed. I’ll keep you updated!
Samantha
has anyone asked for compensation for their damages?
I am getting laser hair removal and happened to ask my doctor about this as i had noticed that she covers my small tattoo with her hand. she said you CANNOT continuously go over a tattoo because it will burn a whole right through your skin. I believe once is not a big deal.. and she gets up close to mine but then covers it with a finger or two and goes around. Hope this helps!
Do not get laser hair removal over a tattoo. I’m not sure of the actual statistic, but I’d say there’s a 99% chance of ruining your tattoo, if not burning your self. It’s basic quantum physics. You don’t need the details. Simply put, tattoo lasers have less ‘power’ than a hair removal laser. Thus when a tattoo absorbs the tattoo reoval laser, the ink molecules are knocked around and broken into pieces. Tattoo ink is trapped between your 2nd and 3rd layers of skin, once broken up, the ink is slowly absorbed into your bloodstream and the tattoo goes away. With the more powerful hair removal laser, the ink absorbs too much energy. The molecules begin to heat up realy hot, and cause the water in your cells to boil and then burst. This is what causes the burn. I hope I didn’t drag on too much. If there are any other tattoo freaks like me in the academic world, check out the physics behind it, it’s pretty cool.
I went for laser hair removal for the 3rd time last week, and the “certified technician” went right over part of my tattoo, and didn’t even blink an eye! It hurt sooo much. She said that it wasn’t a big deal, but the other technicians before were so careful to not let the laser go anywhere close to my tattoo. It started off swollen around the tattoo, and then the skin got wrinkly and then the skin came off in the shower. Now, a few days later, layers of my skin are burned off and infected, and part of my tattoo is literally falling off — not attached to my skin!! I’m seeing a dermotologist today.
I’ve had a similar experience with laser hair rmeoval. The Doctor actually assured me his laser wouldn’t affect my tattoos as it’s a different frequency to tattoo removal lasers, however I think *he* was on a different frequency! He went over 3 of my tattoos which was immensely painful, came up in large blisters and then all got infected, and now chunks of my tatts are missing. Since then I’ve been very insistent about the technicians avoiding my tatoos, but today the nurse caught the edge of one on my ankle – huge pain & now huge blister…. well at least I know what’s instore!
Would anyone reading this advise I pop the blister or leave it alone? I can’t remember what I did last time (apart from the infection & anti-biotics!)
Cheers!
I work at a spa, and had a technician work on me because she is practicing on our machine. The next day I felt a horrible muscular pain under my tattoo near my hip bone, when I looked I saw 2 areas had been burned by the laser – the reason for this is because the laser is attracted to dark hair, but if there is no dark hair it is attracted to the skin…if your skin is dark, then it will LOVE your skin…2 days later the ink is totally gone from the area that was treated.. DO NOT GET LASER ON YOUR TATTOO!!! I’m SOOOO upset I cannot even express!!
Everything I have read about laser hair removal over a tattoo sounds all bad. I have never had laser hair removal. However I have had 2 tattoos removed via laser. The results described by everyone sound dead on with what I experienced from the tattoo removal. A loud clicking noise. The worst pain I’ve ever willingly put my body through and lots of gnarley blisters with fading to the contacted area. I was considering laser hair removal over my chest tatto, but after reading these comments it is out of the question. My advise? Get laser hair removal before you get the tattoo or get the hair removal over the tattoo only if you are planning to have it covered up by a new tattoo.
I have been getting LHR for awhile 6 treatments to be exact on my 7th i had a different person because the girl i usually went to was not available anyways the one i had always went was very careful not to go over my tattoo or any moles or anything because of what could happen but on my 7th treatment new girl i guess did not know what she was doin and went over half of my tattoo and this is what it looks like now almost 2 wks after
im told there is nothing that can be done to fix it????
to describe what i was talking about in last comment cause i guess u cannot post pictures half of tattoo is gone and is a big hole its infected and im on atibiotics tattoo artist sd it cannot be fixed bc the scar will not take the ink so i gse im left w half of a tattoo on my leg…thank u so much new girl!!!!
Wowe u ladies had some aweful hardships here, just out of curiosity…um…assuming most tattoos are a custom personal art form; displayed to suit your personal symbolism; created to suit your personal unique meaning; placed specifically onto your chosen particular body part/s; at your own efforted time; at your own efforted place; and especially AT YOUR OWN COST–given that you wouldn’t sign a document stating otherwise–isn’t it just a little fair these so-called “professional tecnicians” compensate you ladies for damaging your skin agonizingly and ruining something you placed so much work and pride into?? I am a tattoo artist and it’s outrageous for me to see that so many “business-minded professionals” are out there just carelessly scortching women and having the audacity to shrug their shoulders at destroying pieces of your skin, to points of peeling off, as if its no biggie! Ruining something you’ve invested in, so to speak, should have them offering you something for the pain you went through? Not to mention the pain of screwing a perfect tattoo, no?!!
Alls I know is wonderful skins and works were damaged and frankly I’m worried to laser myself now :S
i spoke w the owner of the spa who is a dr and he sd basically it was a bad sunburn i say bs but he offered nothing so im waiting on the healing to b done and yes i will seek something i wld jus like for them to offer to pay for the removal wld b fine but i dont ill get that but if i have to take em to court i will u can bet on that..
I can identify with all you ladies who have been burned by a Laser over your Tattoos. I was burned during hair removal 22 days ago. The burns never showed up untill the next day and I have 4 Tats that are damaged to varying degrees. The worst one has a deep burn that I have been applying Antibiotic cream and Silver Coloidal several times a day. Healing is slow and I still have redness and swelling on all 4. I felt like I had been Microwaved. I just pray that the Tattoos can be fixed by touching up and the scaring isn’t enough to prevent this repair—-time will tell. The doctor was very sorry that his Tech slipped and touched in my Ink Art.She should have covered them as the first Tech did at first treatment.For what they charge they should take more time and care.
you CAN NOT laser over a tattoo!!! if you are having laser hair removal ask the tech to cover the tattoo and tape it down!
There were been a lot of pain when a laser hair removal would be done over a tattooed skin. It was been immensely painful and would expect that there would be some unwanted some skin allergies and infection that you would have. doctors need to insure the after effects of this procedure.
did anyone hear of a machine called NO!NO!??
is that any good for hair removal over tattoos?
I understand it uses heat and not exactly laser and I kinda wanted to try it… anyone know anything about it?
Yesterday, I went for laser hair removal. I specifically asked the “doctor” if it was safe even though I have a tattoo. My tattoo is on my right upper arm and it is very important to me.
Anyways, when he pased over my tattoo, it hurt like a son of a bitch. I told him that it was painful and he said he would turn down the laser intensity. Now, I’ve got these little blisters of water on certain spots of my tattoo. I’ve been really cautious to try not to let them pop but, one did.
The spot where the blister popped, the tattoo looks to be alright but now I’m worried from reading all your comments. I pray that it’ll be okay.
Do not ever get hair removal from a freaking tech. Pay the extra money and get it done by a Registered Nurse. All laser hair removal in California is done by Registered Nurses only. No more techs. So no more stupid mistakes like hitting a tattoo.
I went over my tattoo on purpose with a laser hair removal home kit in the hope of getting rid of it. (It was a stupid home done job that I’ve regretted since I grew up.) and the places I did worked really well. Yes, it hurt a bit, but no more than getting the tatt in the first place. I just wanted to find out if the blistering was normal and now I guess it is. It takes about three months after the lasering for the tattoo to fade completely, but if you want to keep your tatt then don’t let anyone near it with a laser.
glad i did some research before getting any lasering done… my back is all done up and i was planning on getting it lasered… but not now!